alexgates 's review for:

The Palace of Eros by Caro De Robertis

4.0

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Perhaps I just had low expectations or maybe it’s just unlikely that I wouldn’t enjoy a sensual, sapphic retelling of a Greek love story. The tale is also peppered with (not the most complex, but thought inspiring) feminist and queer concepts; primarily about gender identity, women’s desire, and the systems of men’s entitlement to pleasure and ownership of women. 

Often the prose felt a little too much like forced poeticism, but once I accepted it, it was easy to embrace and provided many beautiful lines.